Frequent flyers have recognised Etihad Airways as the best airline, Emirates the best cargo airline and Kuala Lumpur the most popular destination for tourists.
The awards organised by travel trade publication The Bangladesh Monitor were announced at the Airline of the Year 2009-10 ceremony at The Westin in Dhaka yesterday.
Etihad also won the award for best economy-class and best meal in economy class. Best business class award went to Qatar Airways, best in-flight meal in business class to Malaysia Airlines, best short-haul airline to Thai Airways and most favourite frequent flyer programme (FFP) to Singapore Airlines.
United Airways was adjudged as the best domestic airline of the year, Air Asia as the best low-cost carrier and Virgin Atlantic as the best off-line passenger airline. Emirates also won the best in-flight entertainment and best long-haul airline awards.
Emirates, Etihad, Saudi Arabian Airline, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways were voted as most trusted airlines.
GM Quader, civil aviation and tourism minister, was the chief guest on the ceremony while Shafique Alam Mehdi, civil aviation and tourism secretary, was present as the special guest.
“The government is going to promote open-sky policy to benefit the passengers, which will allow more airlines to operate in Bangladesh and will eventually boost services,” the minister said.
He said the government has given protection to Biman by not allowing the open sky policy that discourages competition in the sector. The minister also stressed the need to improve the passenger services at airports.
The Bangladesh Monitor introduced the awards in 2007 to judge the airlines’ service standards and recognise their products and services to create a healthy competition among them.
A total of more than 2,700 frequent fliers voted — mostly online — while an independent group of pollsters collected opinions of other corporate travellers. A jury board scanned the data.
Eastern Bank Ltd was the title sponsor of the awards this year.
Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor of The Bangladesh Monitor and chairman of organising committee, and Mukhlesur Rahman, deputy managing director of Eastern Bank, also spoke.
